Pope Francis invited exhibition industry leaders at the UFI Global CEO Summit to a private meeting Feb. 7 in the Vatican, where he spoke about “significant opportunities” in the exhibition industry.
The pope declared that “it has been shown…that fairs and exhibitions not only have positive effects on regional economies and labor markets, but also offer significant opportunities for showcasing to the wider world the rich diversity and beauty of local cultures and ecosystems.”
On the occasion of the UFI Global CEO Summit, Pope Francis invited 100 participants of the event to a private audience, held in the Sala Clementina in the heart of the Vatican. They had traveled from 37 countries to attend the summit. Fiera Rome with CEO Pietro Piccinetti was the host partner.
As the global association of the exhibition industry, UFI is representing and serving exhibition organizers and venues as well as partners of the industry. UFI President Mary Larkin led the delegation into the meeting with Pope Francis.
“It is a great honor and privilege for us that Pope Francis invited us to this exchange,” Larkin says. “Often, in our everyday work life, we focus very much on delivering the next event. Today carried a powerful message that the social and cultural dimension of our work deserves just as much attention.”
She adds: “The message Pope Francis shared with us is a very strong motivation to continue to work to improve our events, to make them as inclusive as possible, as diverse as possible, and ever more sustainable. For me—as for everyone in the room—this meeting is already unforgettable.”
On the occasion of the meeting, UFI presented the pope with a sapling of an olive tree—a symbol of the passion for peaceful dialogue and sustainable development created through exhibitions and events. Also, as the exhibition industry is driven by the human factor and dialogue, the delegation brought tea and chocolate from Buenos Aires, the home of the pope.
The meeting ended with a scene rarely witnessed at occasions like these: The pope invited each and every member of the delegation to a personal handshake and brief dialogue, therefore strongly enforcing the unique power of face-to-face connections.
UFI brings together those who build, maintain and support the world’s market places: tradeshow organizers, venue owners and operators, service providers and national as well as international associations of the industry. For more info, visit https://www.ufi.org/
